- The drop shot is best utilized when you’re positioned inside the baseline and your opponent is positioned off the court behind the baseline.
- Use backspin (with a high to low stroke pattern) in hitting the drop shot. Take pace off the ball with soft hands.
- Establish a trajectory and lift to the ball so that the ball drops vertically down and does not carry into the court with the bounce. An effective drop shot should bounce three or more times prior to crossing the service line.
- Try not to be too “fine” with the shot and not get adequate margin of error clearance over the net. The worst mistake is to hit the ball into the net. The trajectory necessary to deaden the ball and minimize carry into the court generally requires higher net clearance.
- Be active with your feet (take a number of adjustment steps) and set early with your racquet and body positioning prior to hitting the drop shot to give yourself options (should you decide to drive the ball) and to freeze your opponent at the baseline.
- Don’t overdo it. The drop shot is best utilized as a deceptive shot and not as part of an established pattern of play.
- As a heads up, be alert to another drop shot in response to your drop shot. One of the best replies to a drop shot is another drop shot.
- One of the best two-shot sequences with the drop shot is a drop shot followed by a lob.
- Cushion the ball with backspin and soft hands to hit an effective drop volley.
- The percentage play is to hit the drop volley only in response to a ball that has fallen below the net. There are generally better shot options in responding to balls up in your strike zone (shoulder height).
Specialty Shots Series – The “Drop Shot”
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Ten Things Tennis 